Dear Editor:Just recently the city filled in with concrete a square vacant space in the sidewalk parkway at the northwest corner of Downey and Florence avenues. Originally the space was designed for having a tree placed there. It would seem to be a step in the wrong direction to replace planter green space with concrete, when at the same time elsewhere in the city there are many projects to create green space planters in traffic islands which will require much more maintenance. If this was a one-time thing, then it should simply be undone and a tree planted there. If this is to become a trend, then the policy needs to be reversed for the good and beautification of the city. Rather than less, the city needs more trees and greenery -- albeit with minimal maintenance and watering requirements. While there seems to be a lot of attention being given to the downtown area for the lebenty-lebenth time, the remainder of the city should not become just a concrete surface draining into the Pacific. - Hugh T. Hoskins, Downey

********** Published: July 15, 2010 - Volume 9 - Issue 13